The 2016 Giraglia Rolex Cup will be remembered as the most massive edition and one of the most complicated in its 64 years of history. After starting with a soft breeze that tested the crew's ability to advance without a single impulse, it ended with strong winds that challenged the strength of the ships. The little French Sunfast 36 Tip, armed and patronized by Gilles Pages, was able to play his cards, declaring himself the absolute winner of the 2012 Giraglia Rolex Cup.

The final stretch from the Giraglia to Genoa will remain in the memory of many teams, who saw the south-west wind rise quickly above the 30 knots combined with a haunted sea. Far from the peaceful scenario that went through the Magic Carpet Cubed to become real-time winner a few hours before that radical change in conditions.

This hard stage was extended during the second night of the race, pushing the slower ships to overcome the fastest in the battle for victory in compensated time and the desired absolute title. The small French Sunfast 36 Tip of Gilles Pages crossed the line of arrival after 37 hours, 57 minutes and 5 seconds of race, establishing a brand that no one would ever get over, to become a worthy winner of the 64th Giraglia Rolex Cup.

"Before the departure we knew that the weather forecast favoured small ships," would confess an enthusiastic Pages, who sailed his Tip along with six other amateur regatists. "We negotiated the first part of the race quite well, and surrounded the Giraglia in good shape. We knew that the second part would be more difficult by the wind increase, but the crew was not tired and the ship was comfortable in those conditions." In recognition of his victory, Pages received the Rolex Challenge Trophy and a Rolex Submariner recorded with his feat.

The level of competition, really amazing.

Record fleet

The 2016 edition will also be remembered by its number of participants. A fleet of 268 ships established a new historical record, with teams of 18 nationalities and ships with length between nine and 30.5 meters, built between the early 19th century and the same year, and sailed by crews of between one and more than 20 members. They all remained faithful to the spirit of camaraderie that characterizes the Giraglia Rolex Cup since its foundation in 1953, and that convinced Rolex to incorporate it into its dossier of sailing events in 1998

Carlo Croce, president of the World Sailing (International Sailing Federation) and the Yacht Club Italiano, and son of one of the founders of the event, knows perfectly what makes the Giraglia a fascinating race: "The attraction comes from a fundamental spirit that the difference from other races from its very origin: The best professionals in front of amateur regatists; different types of ships, and all of them with chances of victory. This fact motivates people to be part of this mythical race."

Large and small, many and few

Croce is proud that the race is not afraid to expand its horizons, particularly in recent years. In 2014 the door was opened to participants of reduced crew with the inclusion of two crew teams, regatists alone and this year the fleet of Mini 6.50.

This year, 11 solitaires competed. The Marsellés Denis Bouan, on board Broceliande, is a good example of the passion that the "old lady of the Mediterranean" disbands: "Solo navigation is a magnificent personal challenge at all levels. You have to face everything on your own. You can ask for help, but no one answers." The French appreciate being part of this historic maritime show. "It's great to see all these ships so different, even though I can't afford to see too much around, because I always have to be alert. It is really beautiful to be part of such a fleet." Bouan would finish fourth of his class.

At the other end of the spectrum, both in length and in crew, is Sir Lindsay Owen-Jones's Magic Carpet Cubed. 30.5 meters of pure elegance and power. The British Wally has an exceptional team of 22 members, including the winner of the latest Volvo Ocean Race, tactical Ian Walker, and Marcel Van Triest, considered one of the best sailors on the planet. In the opinion of Sir Lindsay Owen-Jones, "it is the historic race of the Mediterranean par excellence. It is a mythical test, which we want to do (and do well) every year. It is really hard to win it, something we have tried over many years."

Magic Carpet-Cubed arrived as a defender of the title, and for a while remained in a good position to repeat a feat. The colossal Wally was the first to complete the journey between Saint- Tropez and Genoa, stopping the chrono in 26 hours, 48 minutes and 56 seconds to achieve the important victory in real time after a hard effort by the entire team. "We made 32 changes of candles throughout the course, which is more than one change per hour!," he already confessed on the ground the cantabre bow Antonio 'Ñeti' Cuervas- Mons. "The crew has worked very hard, and we got really exhausted." During the next nine hours, Magic Carpet Cubed led the absolute provisional, but the evolution of meteorology was going to play against their interests.

Record number: 268 ships

Favorated by conditions

Towards the last hour of Thursday, the second day of race, it seemed clear that conditions would favour the slower ships. The rising south-west wind that dominated the Liguria Sea reached the area between the Giraglia rock (on the north end of Corsica) and Genoa, using fuel for the ships that negotiated that part of the tour. The slowest ships accelerated to become the fastest.

The 15-Metros Mariska was one of the beneficiaries. Bottled in 1908, 45 years before the first edition of the Giraglia Rolex Cup, it is built in mahogany, iroco and teak, and its design shows a low franboard and elegant flyers at both ends of the hull. Forms and materials radically different from today's designs: "It is one of the most beautiful races in the Mediterranean, perfect for the spirit of our crew," said the shipowner Christian Nuels. The team left Saint- Tropez watching a part that announced up to 35 knots of wind, perhaps too much for the beautiful classic sailboat.

In Genoa, Nuels recognized his relief: "After Giraglia the wind suddenly rose to a worrying 30-40 knots. Sailing the ship became difficult, and we ended up only with the fire. It has been absolutely fantastic to compete in front of modern ships and well-prepared opponents. I'm sure we'll be back!" Marishka finished fifth in its category.

A moment of the exceptional Closing Ceremony sponsored by Rolex.

Guided by technology

At the opposite end of Mariska was Maverick. Bottled in January 2016, it is a technological ingenuity with pivoting keel and foils, probably the most advanced ship in the fleet. Gordon Kay of the Infiniti shipyard, responsible for its construction, explains: "In the ships of competition it is a question of looking for a balance between power and weight. Maverick is a light and narrow design. Fails make it more powerful, effectively light and reduce displacement. The pivoting keel also provides more power. It's extremely fast for a 46-foot boat, and it accelerates very fast. Sail only with seven crew, and the more wind, the faster."

The essence of the spirit

The ships with length between 30 and 50 feet (9 to 15 meters) represent the bulk of the fleet. They are boats like the Chestry 3 of Giancarlo Ghislanzoni, an unconditional of the Giraglia Rolex Cup attracted by the very special spirit surrounding the event. The Italian shipowner speaks of the race with true veneration: "It is really unique. The spirit has to do with the breadth and variety of the fleet; also with the diversity of the teams, among professionals and amateurs of so many nationalities. Also with intimacy. It's great. The race itself is very special, requires a combination of skill and tactics. The stage is wonderful. This year the clouds coming from the mountains of Corsica were like wild horses rolling towards the sea. It's never the same."

The 2016 Giraglia Rolex Cup was organized by the Yacht Club Italiano, the Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez, the Yacht Club Sanremo and the Cercle Nautique et Touristique du Lacydon. Rolex has been sponsoring the event since 1998.

GIRAGLIA ROLEX CUP 2016
Giraglia Rolex Cup Offshore Race (Saint- Tropez - Giraglia - Genoa)

General IRC:
1. Tip (FRA), Gilles Pages (Rolex Challenge Trophy winner and Rolex Submariner)
2. Give Me Five 5 (FRA), Adrien Follin
3. Epsilon (FRA), Jean Rameil

ORC class:
Scricca (ITA), Leonardo Servi (winner of the Challenge Nucci Novi Trophy)

Real time:
Magic Carpet Cubed (GBR) - 26 hours, 48 minutes and 56 seconds
(Rolex Trophy winner, Réné Levainville Trophy and a Rolex Yacht-Master)

Current tour record:
Esimit Europe 2 (SLO): 14 hours, 56 minutes and 16 seconds, established in 2012

Giraglia Rolex Cup Inshore Series (Saint- Tropez):
IRC 0 - Wallyno, Benoit de Froidmont
IRC A - Team Vision Future, Jean Jacques Chaubard
IRC B - Easy, Jean Marie Vidal
ORC 0 - Southern Star, Luigi Cimolai
ORC A - Samantha, Philippe Moortgat
ORC B - Aria di Burrasca, Franco Salmoiraghi

The full results of the Giraglia Rolex Cup 2016 are available Here.

To access the event videos, visit the Rolex World of Yachting channel at youtube.

The Rolex candle dossier is available Here.